Pacer My Nay Nay and trotter Is A Pearl FR were the winners of the $12,600 features on the chilly Thursday afternoon card at Harrah’s Philadelphia.
My Nay Nay, a freshman daughter of Captaintreacherous–Well Street Flashy trained by Brett Pelling for owner Thaddeus Weir, now has two wins and a photo second to her credit since coming to Philly from Lexington after her 1:54.2 victory on Thursday. David Miller moved the two-year-old to the lead after the quarter and remained firmly in control of the opposition, winning by 4-3/4 lengths over pocket sitter Icarus Falls N.
As you might guess from her breeding, Is A Pearl FR has travelled even further to get to Philly – this was her first U.S. start after last racing in July in France. The four-year-old daughter by Ready Cash out of a Workaholic mare was parked to the quarter for the lead, withstood a hard backstretch challenge from 42-1 shot Mr Crimson, then kept a margin of 1-1/4 lengths over inside closer Unresolved Debt, with Mr Crimson holding on for third in the 1:58.1 mile. Andy Miller guided the winner for trainer/wife Julie and Windsong Stable.
On Thursday there were two principal ways to get to the Philly winner’s circle – have the last name of Miller, or be the pacesetter in your race. Besides Andy and Julie in the trotting feature, Hall of Famer David Miller won four times including his pacing feature victory, and Andy and Julie’s nephew Marcus won three times. Horses setting the tempo were successful eleven times on the fourteen race card.
The 14-year-old Christian Cullen gelding Mr Hasani N finished second in his 306th and final career start, then was honoured with winner’s circle ceremonies later in the card. Mr Hasani N came to the U.S. at four and put on an 8-6-2-0 tear at the end of the 2012 meet here, taking his mark of 1:49.3f and closing out that year with a win in a $75,000 Open. 2012 was the first of four consecutive years when Mr Hasani N earned in six figures, and his career tally rests at 284-44-33-36-$757,807, with a Harrah’s record of 135-28-17-21, all under the care of trainer Darran Cassar.
This was the final Thursday card of the year at Harrah’s Philadelphia. Racing continues this week on Friday at 12:25 and Sunday at 12:40 p.m. The feature on Friday’s card is a $22,500 fast-class handicap trot, with Yonkers (via Dover) shipper Stormy Kroner the early favourite.
(PHHA / Harrah’s Philadelphia)
